Fantasy 5 Sales Rise 24 Percent

While lottery players across the state are queuing up for tonight`s $50 million Lotto drawing, they are also doing a number on its sister computer game, Fantasy 5.

Weekly sales for Fantasy 5 drawings increased statewide more than 24 percent the first month after the game was expanded from twice to three times a week, state Lottery officials say.

``We thought we`d have at least a 10 to 15 percent increase in sales or obviously we wouldn`t be doing it,`` Lottery Secretary Rebecca Paul said.

``Players said they wanted it and we gave it to them. Obviously the market research was on target.``

When Fantasy 5 went to a three-day-a-week format, some lottery retailers were skeptical whether sales would increase or if players would divide their playing money over another nightly drawing.

But since the switch on Aug. 6, sales in three of the four weeks totaled at least $10.4 million, $2 million more than the average weekly sales in July.

Sunrise retailer Glen Lindenfeld, owner of Sunny`s at Sunset, says he cannot measure increased play resulting from the expansion of Fantasy 5, but he says this week`s $50 million Lotto jackpot probably has generated more purchases of other games.

One thing that has dropped is the size of the Fantasy 5 jackpots.

Grand prizes for the first 15 months of the game averaged $352,000. Prizes for the first dozen drawings since change have averaged $250,000.